Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has urged parents to prioritise the education of their children by paying school fees arrears to support school lunch programmes amid the hard economic times schools are facing.
Kaunya challenged parents not to take advantage of the ministry directive issued that directed Heads of Secondary schools not to send students out of school who have fees arrears.
“Let us support the operation in our schools by paying school fees either in cash or by supplying maize and beans we have harvested instead of selling to brokers at throw-away prices,” said Kaunya.
Speaking during a fund drive at Kamolo Secondary School to purchase more land for the school, Kaunya retaliated that school lunch programmes are almost paralysed in most day schools as parents have relied fully on NG-CDF bursary as the only mode of paying fees.
“NG-CDF bursaries that we issue annually to schools are not enough to fully clear your children’s fees, you must complement it to ensure the smooth running of schools,” he added.
His sentiment came following earlier remarks by St August Kamolo School Principal Patrick Okubala that 75% of the students are yet to clear last year’s school fees arrears despite the school having a flexible programme that allows payment in installments.
“You must show dedication to your students’ education by paying school fees. The school BOM teachers, lunch programme, and other activities that need parents’ support to post good results,” noted Mr Okubala.
The school has 11 teachers employed by TSC against over 350 students.
Kaunya took the opportunity to slam Western leaders for blocking the president’s visit to the constituency to launch the KMTC Teso campus and 1.8 billion Malaba dry port.
“It’s a shame that some few leaders with selfish interests deceived the president to avoid the Teso North Constituency for the second time of his visit to Busia. This is not time for politics, we demand services just like other sub-counties,” said Kaunya.
The legislature added that plans are underway for the Teso community to visit the president in the statehouse and invite him to visit the area to launch various projects.
“As a community, we feel marginalised and we are ready to visit the president with the Iteso Council of Elders to invite him to initiate development projects that will stimulate the economic development of the region,” noted Kaunya.
By Absalom Namwalo
